Treating Worn Down Teeth
How can tooth wear be treated?
There are three main types of tooth wear: attrition, erosion, and abrasion. To recommend the appropriate treatment, your dentist will have to determine the origin of the dental wear during the clinical examination, which is also best carried out after an extensive medical examination to find out about your lifestyle.
If the wear is attributable to the phenomenon of attrition, which means the enamel is being worn away by tooth-on-tooth contact, the wearing of a special retainer may be recommended in order to better control bruxism, which is the name for when your grind, gnash, or clench your teeth. Orthodontic treatment to correct the problem may also be indicated by your dentist.
In case of erosion, which is the chemical loss of tooth enamel due to exposure to acidic foods and drinks, you will have to change some eating and drinking habits.
In case of abrasion, which means your teeth are wearing down because of forces applied to them, such as brushing your teeth too hard, the daily use of a toothbrush with ultra-soft bristles as well as a softer brushing are recommended. You should also avoid holding objects between your teeth such as a pen, a toothpick, or a pin.
If the wear is too great, composite restorations or crowns can be made.
Refurbishment and dentures with worn teeth: How does the treatment work?
With a suitable solution, the loss of tooth structure can be corrected, and the original bite height can be restored, if this has become an issue for you. The dentist or orthodontist takes an impression of the teeth and plans the necessary reconstruction measures together with the patient.
In most cases, with excessive wear, extensive measures are required to restore the aesthetics of the front teeth and to rehabilitate all damaged teeth. Those affected must be willing and take the time to do so. Good, detailed advice right from the start is therefore just as important as a comprehensive and far-sighted treatment concept.
Dentures or crowns will be recommended in the case of severely worn teeth; in the case of less wear, veneers or other less dramatic solutions are available.
Many dentists will offer their patients a way to see in advance what their teeth will look like after treatment. The dental technician creates a diagnostic wax-up based on the dental impression or mouth scan from the dentist. This is a wax model in which the missing tooth substance has already been replaced with wax. Based on the wax-up, a mock-up (demonstration model) is made of white plastic, which can be placed in the mouth in order to get a realistic idea of the subsequent result before the start of treatment. Many patients take their mock-up home with them so that they can spend some time with it, for example looking at their reflection in the mirror or practicing speaking with the demonstration model. Many also want to show their partner, family, or trusted friends their "new" teeth and hear their opinions.
To learn more about worn down teeth, contact us.